The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-16

and on either side OF the face OF the clit
falls away so steeply to the glacier,
that the greatest care is necessary in
order to keep on the ridge itself with
out tiesspassing upon the cornce,
which, being formed OF frozen snow
only, is liable to crumble away at the
slightest touch. So deceptive is q
cornlce OF this description that even
good OXIDES are at loss to distin-
guish sometimes between what is safe
and what is not, while to q novice
what may appeal to be one broad,
smooth surface OF snow may be safe
to tread upon only to the width OF
few inches.
1t is this difficulty OF telling where
the firm ground ends and where the
cornice begins that constitutes the
danger OF tho Lyskamm arete. More
'han once it has led to mistakes on
ne part of guides, and it was such
that caused one of the most awful
tragedies that ever occurred to noun
taineers-the fatal accident to Messrs.
Lewis and Patterson's party in 1878.
The Lyskamm by this route is EN-
phatically not an ascent to be recon-
mended.
Franz was celebrated for his eau
ton, and on this day he exercised
even more than his ordinary care.
Not step did he take without first
testing the snow in front with the
point OF his ice axe, so rs to make
sure OF what was ahead, and he never
t,ovad forum rj until ot,ita onpvinoaI
that it was safe to do so.
Thus our progress was slow, and il
was not till nearly II o'clock that we
topped the final ridge aud stood to-
gether upon the summit OF the Lys.
kamm.
The view exquisitely bright and
clear as the sky was that day, was a
marvelously beautiful one, but it is
not within my province to describe il
here, and, indeed, were | TO make the
attempt, | should fail to convey an
idea OF the impression it made upon
me at the time. Besides, it was not
for long we were permitted to enjoy
it, for Franz was all eagerness to be
down the arete before il got much la
ter
We were soon on the rope again
Franz led, then came, then Burns
and the porter-an admirable man
for the purpose, on account OF his |
weight and straightforward up the |
rear. 1t was in this order that we be- |
gan the descent.
All went well at first. Each man was
careful to use the rope as the rope |
ought to be used-that is, by keeping |
it taut between him self and his man i'm |
front. Franz moved downward care |
fully, and at each step sound the |
snow with his axe, as he had done on |
his way up. The position, in fact, was
one which needed care.
Upon our left the face OF the noun
tain fell sharply away 20 the glacier
below, distance of over 5000 feet /
and We dared not leave the edge ofthe
arete 20 pass on to it, for upon this
face there lay quantity OF fresh snow
in loose and dangerous condition.
On our right lay the dreadful cornice.
Suddenly Franz halted. Somethinc
seemed to trouble him. for more than
once he struck his axe into the snowin
front Of and beside him without mov-
ingforward. He called to me to pay out
the full length OF rope between myself
and him, which did, and again he ad-
vanced a fewsteps. When he stopped,
and turning round to me, in slow
tones said: "Herr, be very careful
how you tread here; take care only to
put your foot in the steps make, jor'